For those who don't know Flappy FUUUU is my entry to the #flappyjam, this was the first jam I have participated in so I thought I would go through how my game changed over about two weeks. You can play the game here: http://nylepudding.itch.io/flappyfuuuu
From the get go I wanted to focus on tight controls and comically difficult gameplay. Suitably my game was originally called Flappy IMMA-FUCKING-KILL-MYSELF but I decided to change the name to Flappy FUUUU for obvious "family friendly" reasons. In hindsight I wish I thought more about the name as I regret calling it Flappy FUUUU. I don't dislike the name per-say, but I do think I could've done a better job, and believe it or not, names make a huge difference.
The first instance of the game was made in about 2 hours, with only 30 minutes being dedicated to the actual programming. The extra 1 hour and 30 minutes were spent on changing variables and nothing more. This gave me a great insight into one of the great time-sinks of game development. Some things can be done mathematically but others can only be done with trial and error. Of course experience also helps in this regard, something which I don't have much of.
Version 1
This first version was by far the most difficult, the barriers had a greater width and came towards you at a slower pace leaving a very small margin for error. You might think slower barriers would actually make the game easier, but in this case they didn't. On top of this the distance between the upper and the lower barrier was smaller, a measly 24 pixels which eventually changed to almost double that amount at 44. Another interesting thing I added to the first version was the ability to exploit the game. I thought this would be something not many people would figure out and act as more of a secret than a bug.
Version 2
I achieved what I wanted in terms of having stupidly hard gameplay, however I was pleased enough with the controls I thought I would make it a little easier. This lead to me to reducing the width of the barriers by half, increasing the speed they come towards you, and adding a limit to the downwards velocity of the player. I also increased the distance between the top and the bottom barriers to 40 pixels. Not to mention my purposeful exploit was far too easy to find than I thought. A few friends discovered it in just over a minute of play, and with someone tweeting me a score of 82 I decided to remove the exploit. I planned to add a more secret exploit in a later version but never did.
Version 3
It was in the third version I made one of the most significant changes, the ability to break through barriers. Breaking through a barrier would let you keep playing but reset your score. This was to make failure less frustrating and to decrease the chances of a player "rage-quitting". I honestly thought this was an obvious idea, but I haven't seen a single game in the whole jam do this, none of them. That said I've only played about 50% of the games in the jam, so please tell me if you find one with that mechanic. I also made breaking through a barrier satisfying in itself by adding particles and a sound effect.
Version 4
The next big change I made was to the aspect ratio of the game. It was originally 320x320 this meant you could only see one barrier on screen at any time, often making your high-score a bit luck based as you couldn't plan ahead. I changed the resolution to something more normal so you could see 2 sets of barriers on screen at once. Now the scoring was more fair I also added scoreboard support via http://gmscoreboard.com/. I really wish I added this support earlier as my game got a lot more attention earlier in the jam. It was still very interesting to see the different scores though, and the numerous people who gave up with a score of one. Some people might see that as a bad thing, but I loved it.
Version 5
The final update was mainly a cosmetic one, I made the barriers slowly close as the player moved towards them. I really like this changed as it made you feel more of a bad-ass when you made it through the gap. Some people said the closing barriers actually made the game harder, but this was an illusion. The distance was actually changed to 44 pixels making the game easier.
Over the course of this jam I learned a huge amount, thank you to anyone who played Flappy FUUUU whether you liked it or hated it. Look out for my #cyberpunkjam game!
24/02/2014
23/02/2014
My thunks: Titanfall Beta
Titanfall's greatest achievement is it's ability to remain entertaining through failure or success. There are so many examples of this in Titanfall it must of been an inherent part of it's design.
Lets start with the movement, I was never very fond of the parkour in Assassins Creed games. It was satisfying but felt far too simple. Titanfall manages to strike a near perfect balance between being simple and flexible. Your hands and feet don't feel like magnets, clinging onto specific parts of the environment. It feels much more natural and effortless. The simplicity empowers you to experiment rather than feel confined. In addition to this, failing a jump or a wall run doesn't make you feel awkward since there are so many ways to go. Often I have miss-timed my double jump only to find myself in a better position.
In all honestly the sheer brilliance of running around makes Titans feel a bit boring in comparison. Why would you want to be a lumbering robot when I can dash around with ease on foot? However there is one major aspect of the Titans that makes me look forward to calling them in. When your Titan takes too much damage and is completely and utterly "Doomed" tapping the eject button sends you flying through into the sky at incredible speeds. Another great example of making failure fun.
Even if getting fired several kilometres into the air doesn't appeal to you, you can set your Titan to autopilot and completely forget about the damn thing.
Those who aren't so great at shooters can still have fun too, perhaps even get one of the best scores in their team. AI controlled minions are frequently dropped into battle, mainly for the sake of getting shot in the face by enemy players. Killing these minions earns you points for your team and reduces the amount of time to your next Titan.
As the final cherry perched atop this rather fancy cake, losing a match of Titanfall is possibly the most exciting part of the whole game. All the losers have to quickly scramble to a nearby drop-ship and escape the battle without dying. The winners have to try and intercept you, and take you down.
As you can probably tell I thoroughly enjoyed the beta for Titanfall. It manages to be fun for a huge amount of players, over a huge spectrum of skill and experience. I have a few qualms such as there being too much lens flare, and how burn cards reward you for doing badly. However what really interests me about Titanfall is it's future. It's new and exciting right now, but will it simply become another Call of Duty? I guess time will tell.
Lets start with the movement, I was never very fond of the parkour in Assassins Creed games. It was satisfying but felt far too simple. Titanfall manages to strike a near perfect balance between being simple and flexible. Your hands and feet don't feel like magnets, clinging onto specific parts of the environment. It feels much more natural and effortless. The simplicity empowers you to experiment rather than feel confined. In addition to this, failing a jump or a wall run doesn't make you feel awkward since there are so many ways to go. Often I have miss-timed my double jump only to find myself in a better position.
In all honestly the sheer brilliance of running around makes Titans feel a bit boring in comparison. Why would you want to be a lumbering robot when I can dash around with ease on foot? However there is one major aspect of the Titans that makes me look forward to calling them in. When your Titan takes too much damage and is completely and utterly "Doomed" tapping the eject button sends you flying through into the sky at incredible speeds. Another great example of making failure fun.
Even if getting fired several kilometres into the air doesn't appeal to you, you can set your Titan to autopilot and completely forget about the damn thing.
Those who aren't so great at shooters can still have fun too, perhaps even get one of the best scores in their team. AI controlled minions are frequently dropped into battle, mainly for the sake of getting shot in the face by enemy players. Killing these minions earns you points for your team and reduces the amount of time to your next Titan.
As the final cherry perched atop this rather fancy cake, losing a match of Titanfall is possibly the most exciting part of the whole game. All the losers have to quickly scramble to a nearby drop-ship and escape the battle without dying. The winners have to try and intercept you, and take you down.
As you can probably tell I thoroughly enjoyed the beta for Titanfall. It manages to be fun for a huge amount of players, over a huge spectrum of skill and experience. I have a few qualms such as there being too much lens flare, and how burn cards reward you for doing badly. However what really interests me about Titanfall is it's future. It's new and exciting right now, but will it simply become another Call of Duty? I guess time will tell.
21/02/2014
My thunks: Jazzpunk
I only really found out what Jazzpunk was the day it was released, I knew PC gamer had given it a shining review but apart from that I knew nothing. After 10 minutes of Giantbomb's quick-look I was sold.
Jazzpunk is bright, bold, hilarious, confusing and garish at the same time. Mind, I don't mean garish in a bad way in this instance. It is a game best played completely blind. Some aspects are still fun and comedic the second time round, but a shock factor is a huge part of the enjoyment while playing Jazzpunk. With that said, there's no need to worry I won't be the one spoiling anything for you.
Jazzpunk is totally rife with references, be it games, TV or otherwise. It is obvious those familiar with the culture of video games will get the most out of this title. However there is still much to enjoy without the knowledge of anything it references. This is due to Jazzpunk being so utterly bizarre, many scenarios will leave you in a state of hilarious confusion. It really doesn't matter if you get the reference or not, it's random nature and constant moving forward won't keep you in an awkward state of "was that a joke I didn't get?".
For better and for worse there are times which can be very overwhelming. You are often presented with a large open space full of many interactions, the majority of these interactions are optional too. This could be a problem for those who don't have the patience to explore as huge sections of the game can be missed entirely. Of course this is great for those you that enjoy second play-throughs, or exploration but that isn't to everyone's taste.
While the surface value of Jazzpunk is enjoyable, for those who like deep analysis of games there is something of interest here too. There is a huge amount of meaning behind some of the strange rambling characters. I don't think I've experienced a game which truly works on as many levels as Jazzpunk.
This is where we get to the general aesthetic of Jazzpunk. It is certainly something brilliant to behold, everything, even the blemishes seem with purpose. Somehow with it's multitude of video game references it's actually a very absorbing and atmospheric game. I wish I could tell you how this works, but believe me it's very easy to get caught up in the obscure world only to realize you're 30 minutes late for work. This is where everything truly comes together for Jazzpunk. It doesn't feel like a random mix of mini-games, it manages to stay consistently inconsistent.
In many ways Jazzpunk could make anyone laugh out loud or at least smile, but is 3 hours of gameplay worth £12? That's for you to decide.
I give Jazzpunk a "OMGWTFBBQ out of ten".
Jazzpunk is bright, bold, hilarious, confusing and garish at the same time. Mind, I don't mean garish in a bad way in this instance. It is a game best played completely blind. Some aspects are still fun and comedic the second time round, but a shock factor is a huge part of the enjoyment while playing Jazzpunk. With that said, there's no need to worry I won't be the one spoiling anything for you.
Jazzpunk is totally rife with references, be it games, TV or otherwise. It is obvious those familiar with the culture of video games will get the most out of this title. However there is still much to enjoy without the knowledge of anything it references. This is due to Jazzpunk being so utterly bizarre, many scenarios will leave you in a state of hilarious confusion. It really doesn't matter if you get the reference or not, it's random nature and constant moving forward won't keep you in an awkward state of "was that a joke I didn't get?".
For better and for worse there are times which can be very overwhelming. You are often presented with a large open space full of many interactions, the majority of these interactions are optional too. This could be a problem for those who don't have the patience to explore as huge sections of the game can be missed entirely. Of course this is great for those you that enjoy second play-throughs, or exploration but that isn't to everyone's taste.
While the surface value of Jazzpunk is enjoyable, for those who like deep analysis of games there is something of interest here too. There is a huge amount of meaning behind some of the strange rambling characters. I don't think I've experienced a game which truly works on as many levels as Jazzpunk.
This is where we get to the general aesthetic of Jazzpunk. It is certainly something brilliant to behold, everything, even the blemishes seem with purpose. Somehow with it's multitude of video game references it's actually a very absorbing and atmospheric game. I wish I could tell you how this works, but believe me it's very easy to get caught up in the obscure world only to realize you're 30 minutes late for work. This is where everything truly comes together for Jazzpunk. It doesn't feel like a random mix of mini-games, it manages to stay consistently inconsistent.
In many ways Jazzpunk could make anyone laugh out loud or at least smile, but is 3 hours of gameplay worth £12? That's for you to decide.
I give Jazzpunk a "OMGWTFBBQ out of ten".
19/02/2014
My thunks: Dear Esther
I first heard about Dear Esther in late 2011 while browsing the steam "Coming Soon" section. The music and poetic narrative of the trailer immediately caught my attention. The description of the game also spoke about "random" elements which greatly intrigued me. However closer to release I became less and less interested. I can't exactly remember why this was, maybe another game occupied my thoughts or I wasn't ready to pay the £6.99 for a game that took about 60 minutes to finish. Having only just played and completed Dear Esther for the first time it's a shame I lost interest and didn't purchase when it came out in February 2012.
I won't get into the argument about whether Dear Esther is a game or not, I want to leave that to angry people on the internet. I will simply talk about what I thought.
Five minutes in, the poetic narrative brimming with metaphors (and numerous other poetical devices) tells me I shouldn't follow the narrative too closely. For if I were to try and understand every word I would only get confused and muddled. Each paragraph of narration is somewhat like a standalone poem and only with all of them put together can you actually patch a story together. This works nicely as you can still enjoy the narrative as standalone pieces if you don't understand or miss the previous paragraph.
That said I'm pretty sure the story of Dear Esther is purposely vague and confusing, designed partly for the sake of speculation and discussion. For some this could be frustrating as you aren't really supposed to understand anything clearly in the first few play-throughs. That doesn't mean you don't get anything out of the first play-through, but Dear Esther is definitely better suited to those very fond of analyzing the deeper meaning of literature and poems. After going through Dear Esther twice many aspects of the story still remain confusing but that's why I like it. There is a great element of mystery about the island, some details of which I will never understand. I adore that, but like I said earlier, others will find the lack of detail annoying.
While there may be a lack of detail in the story, it would be a crime to say the same for the look of Dear Esther. The texture quality is disappointingly low but like a painting, standing back and looking at everything at once is breathtaking. The environment feels eerily natural, there were times I could swear I wasn't looking at a computer screen. The level design is clever too, it gives the illusion of wide open spaces and many possibilities while in reality being very linear. Not to mention the final area sent shivers down my spine continuously for longer than I've ever experienced.
Definitely not for everyone, but well worth a try if you're interested.
I give Dear Esther a "Looks pretty damn good and brought a tear to my eye, out of 10".
I won't get into the argument about whether Dear Esther is a game or not, I want to leave that to angry people on the internet. I will simply talk about what I thought.
Five minutes in, the poetic narrative brimming with metaphors (and numerous other poetical devices) tells me I shouldn't follow the narrative too closely. For if I were to try and understand every word I would only get confused and muddled. Each paragraph of narration is somewhat like a standalone poem and only with all of them put together can you actually patch a story together. This works nicely as you can still enjoy the narrative as standalone pieces if you don't understand or miss the previous paragraph.
That said I'm pretty sure the story of Dear Esther is purposely vague and confusing, designed partly for the sake of speculation and discussion. For some this could be frustrating as you aren't really supposed to understand anything clearly in the first few play-throughs. That doesn't mean you don't get anything out of the first play-through, but Dear Esther is definitely better suited to those very fond of analyzing the deeper meaning of literature and poems. After going through Dear Esther twice many aspects of the story still remain confusing but that's why I like it. There is a great element of mystery about the island, some details of which I will never understand. I adore that, but like I said earlier, others will find the lack of detail annoying.
While there may be a lack of detail in the story, it would be a crime to say the same for the look of Dear Esther. The texture quality is disappointingly low but like a painting, standing back and looking at everything at once is breathtaking. The environment feels eerily natural, there were times I could swear I wasn't looking at a computer screen. The level design is clever too, it gives the illusion of wide open spaces and many possibilities while in reality being very linear. Not to mention the final area sent shivers down my spine continuously for longer than I've ever experienced.
Definitely not for everyone, but well worth a try if you're interested.
I give Dear Esther a "Looks pretty damn good and brought a tear to my eye, out of 10".
09/02/2014
Flappy bird flaps for the last time
Mr Flappy has answered the final summons, he's as dead as a dodo, he's fallen off his perch, he's hopped the twig. However you like to say it, he's dead. 19:00 GMT marked the last minute of his final flap.
Flappy bird somehow managed to become a worldwide sensation, despite the fact it wasn't a unique game in the slightest. However I do think Flappy bird got a bit too much flack, it was a simple game, yes, but in many ways it managed perfection. I personally didn't play it more than five times, but I can see why people got so addicted. Unfortunately in the age of the internet where anything gets popular it's more than likely the creator will get a few death threats.
Anyone in Dong Nguyen's (the creator of Flappy Bird) position would be overwhelmed by the sudden increase in popularity. With this also comes a lot of stress, suddenly hundreds of thousands of people are knocking at your door. Most would justify the stress by reminding themselves how much money they are making. This is ultimately why I greatly respect Dong Nguyen. He obviously liked his previous way of life, and didn't think the money was worth that extra stress. Reports were telling us that he earned more than $10,000 a day on advertising alone. He might be rich now but he could easily of made 10 times that amount with sequels and merchandising. Not many people can turn away from the face of money and fame like that.
Dong Nguyen shouldn't be remembered for making Flappy Bird, he should be remembered for doing what was truly right for himself. If only more people knew themselves as much as him.
Flappy bird somehow managed to become a worldwide sensation, despite the fact it wasn't a unique game in the slightest. However I do think Flappy bird got a bit too much flack, it was a simple game, yes, but in many ways it managed perfection. I personally didn't play it more than five times, but I can see why people got so addicted. Unfortunately in the age of the internet where anything gets popular it's more than likely the creator will get a few death threats.
Anyone in Dong Nguyen's (the creator of Flappy Bird) position would be overwhelmed by the sudden increase in popularity. With this also comes a lot of stress, suddenly hundreds of thousands of people are knocking at your door. Most would justify the stress by reminding themselves how much money they are making. This is ultimately why I greatly respect Dong Nguyen. He obviously liked his previous way of life, and didn't think the money was worth that extra stress. Reports were telling us that he earned more than $10,000 a day on advertising alone. He might be rich now but he could easily of made 10 times that amount with sequels and merchandising. Not many people can turn away from the face of money and fame like that.
Dong Nguyen shouldn't be remembered for making Flappy Bird, he should be remembered for doing what was truly right for himself. If only more people knew themselves as much as him.
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